Tuesday, July 28, 2009

WHITE WEDNESDAY: WHITES ON DIAMOND LAKE

Today I am participating in White Wednesday, which is hosted by Kathleen at Faded Charm Cottage. I came upon her blog last week and really loved it. I highly recommend visiting her. I also visited some of the other participants in WW last week and they had some really unique things to show. A lot of decorating ideas here!! So after you leave a comment, visit Kathleen and all of the ladies joining in.

I took tons of pictures at the lake this weekend. It wasn't too hard to find white because I chose open shelving with all white dishes when we renovated the kitchen. I'm sorry to say it is still a work in progress and we are well past the completion date but I am trying really hard to be patient. I hope one day soon I can show you the kitchen and two baths totally finished.

This is a pretty general view of the shelves which are on both sides of the sink and just a bit more on the adjoining walls. I have been putting in a little treasures with color for some contrast such as this blue Cape Cod plate.

My everyday dishes are by Gibson and my china is Johann Haviland. I have mentioned this in a previous post, so I hope I am not boring anyone!! The coffee mugs on the bottom are from The Dollar Tree, believe it or not!! We really like them, they are nice and sturdy and I like the texture of the little bumps around the rim! I also collect little glass bottles and they are scattered all around. They make great bud vases. And finally, I broke down and bought the infamous TargetBirds!! Of course, you can click to enlarge the pictures.

Next, I have a clock I bought from Lidy Baars at French Garden House. Please click on if you would like to visit her shop that carries all things beautiful and European. I have shopped her site many times and am always impressed by the quality of her items, and of course, Lidy herself is a very special lady. She may not know it, but she is the one who influenced me to start blogging. I was shopping French Garden House and happened to click on her blog. I thought, "Well, this sounds like a lot of fun, but will I have anything to say?" LOL!! The rest is history!! Thank you Lidy!!

Here are some antique glass dessert plates I found a few weeks ago. They came from a flower shop housed in a huge mansion in White Pigeon, Michigan. The flower shop was actually a very small part of the business. Every room held antique or second~hand items. I was like Alice in Wonderland!! I managed to buy only what I could carry in two trips, with the promise that there will be a huge yard sale on August 6th with over 15 dealers. There were a few thing there that I wanted so badly, but The Husband kept patting me on the shoulder, reassuring me that we would be back. I should have just thrown a tantrum!

The matching shadow box. I found these in Saugatuck, Michigan, a resort town along the lake, many years ago. Saugatuck is still one of my favorite places to visit.

A vintagy sugar jar from Marshall's.

This canister is made out of iron and is super heavy. I found it at a second hand shop and knew it would make a great utensil holder.

I thought we would move outside. A few weeks ago I posted a picture of a mysterious flower bud and by unanimous decision, it was declared a hollyhock!! It sure is different! But very pretty, a very light blush color. Even though the plants are only about 2 or 3 feet high, I had to stake them. The leaves have a zillon little round holes in them like something has been nibbling. I am wondering if this is why the stems are falling over. I have never seen the blasted critters that are doing the damage so I am not sure what to do. The plants around the hollyhock are doing fab. So, once again, I am asking the Bloggerville Garden Advisory Board for help. :-)

I found this cute white chair with a rush seat also at a second hand store. It is sturdy and chippy and I didn't need to do a thing with it. I used a metal container from Michael's as a planter.

This is called an obedience plant and it came up for the first time this year. It is really pretty and I hope it gets bigger each year. It looks perfect in my English Garden.

And my last picture is of the white birch trees in our yard. They are beautiful. I'd love to have more but all of our trees have matured so much over the years that our house is really hard to even see from the lake!

I hope you have enjoyed my contribution to White Wednesday. I have not even come close to exhausting all of the white I have! LOL! So I will probably join again and of course, hope to make new friends.! Please visit Kathleen and see how pretty simple white can be!! Have a wonderful week! :-)

Hi Janie, I really enjoyed looking through your kitchen shelves. You have very pretty dishes and your whole house is looking very coastal. It looks so fresh and clean with all the whites. Your flowers look fabulous!...Christine

Hi again Janie! Thank you for coming and don't worry about missing some of the post,. I understand and you should take advantage of the warm weather and go to the lake house and enjoy it as much as you can. But I would love for you to see my post about my mother's 90th bday when we had a family reunion. I posted it last week on July 18th, WHEN you have time, of course. Are you back in Chicago now? I am flying back home on Friday and I can't wait to see the pool deck and decorate around it....Christine

I loved seeing all of the white in your lake house kitchen. Your shelf arrangements look like something from a magazine! I really like your big, frilly hollyhock. Mine all end up being single blooms. The metal bucket with flowers looks great on top of your vintage white chair. Loved it all!

It all looks so pretty. I would have loved to be at that mansion shop. It is exciting when you come across so many treasures all at once. the men just don't get it do they? I hope that your obedient plant stays obedient. Physostegia has a way of springing up all over. Maybe you have "Miss Manners"- She is better behaved. Sweet little chair with the planted bucket. Very very nice Janie.

Jane, I'm so glad I took a little break to visit today. :) I love that you have a blog I can visit...so beautiful. Your home {and garden} are so welcoming, and just lovely.hope you are having a happy week!xo Lidy

Love your blog! Looks like you did fine. If you want to add the logo to your sidebar also that would be great and I'll add you to my list. Thanks for joining and I look forward to all your white goodies.

Hi Jane,I had so much fun visiting you. I took notes as to what I wanted to comment on and the list is long so I'll try to keep it shorter. First let me say I love all your white things. I never heard of the infamous target birds but then that doesn't surprise me. Love your clock and will have to visit French Garden House..it's been awhile. I haven't tried the tantrum trick...does it work usually? The holes on the hollyhocks may be grasshoppers...we have them on ours. need to spray soon or it could be earwigs....those bugs that have little pincher. I love obedient plant and it can reseed. I'll email you what I know about trumpet vine....which isn't really a whole lot.Carole

Well, I don't have much white, unfortunately. I guess I'd have to go outside and photograph the clouds... My house is a melange of bright color. Speaking of Lidy, that generous soul gave $500 to a cause I'm working on, Enchanted Makeovers. It is a non-profit that decorates shelters for women and children. I tried to email you this morning about this project we're working on, but couldn't find your email address. I was sending out a call to bloggers I read.Brenda

THANK YOU FOR VISITING MY BLOG AND I'M SO SORRY THAT YOU DIDN'T SEE ANY WHITE WEDNESDAY STUFF. TRUTHFULLY, I THOUGHT TODAY WAS TUESDAY. GEEEZ! I'M GONNA POST RIGHT NOW. I HOPE BETTER LATE THAN NEVER APPLIES HERE. LOVE YOUR WHITES B.T.W.

Hi Janie, Everything in your house is absolutely beautiful! I love it all - so bright and fresh. :) I have never heard of the obedience plant, either, but it's so lovely. You did a great job with your photos! xoxo

HelloThank you for visiting studio and leaving such a nice comment. I would love to see you at the shop anytime, I am closed on Mondays. Your whites are so pretty, don't know what target birds are tho. The holes on your hollyhocks might be earwigs they leave holes in my hostas. I had never seen earwigs when I moved here years ago and when we were moving in I saw a bunch of them under something--I thought they were some kind of scorpion and yelled for my husband..lol Now it seems stupid.Have a wonderful weekBlessingsRebecca

Hi Jane, nice to meet you and thanks for visiting my blog. You have great "whites" and I love your garden photos. My plants have been chewed to pieces this year! I think it's the japanese beetles here in Missouri. Have a great week!Debra

I just love your white dishes and shelves! Adore the salt and pepper shakers! Haven't I seen them here before? Love the chair with flowers. I do remember them. Now your going to laugh, Most of all I love your Birch trees! I wish we had them here! I a few logs. lol

Love your whites...I am partial to the little beach chairs..I have some, not white, striped and a votive sits in it..Your clock is so pretty, and your sugar canister is SWEET! :)I will have to visit the "other" Kathleen for her white Wed...I have some too...And there will be another Let There Be White event in Aug..Are you in??..you have white dishes!!

Just wanted to stop by to say hello and also to thank you for coming by and taking a peek at my Rose Faerie tablscape...I loved reading your sweet comment!!!

Ohhh my...I do love white...and all of your whites are so beautiful!!! Love your open white shelving in the kitchen...ohhh, and all those pretty white dishes!!! I loved your old chippy white chair with the bucket of flowers...sooo pretty! I'm going to have to find me an old chair and do this...I love the look and nostolgic feel of it! Ohhh...and your white flowers are simply gorgeous!!! Thank you for sharing your fabulous whites and beautiful home with us!

What beautiful, crisp and lovely whites! I love it and am off to read more of your blog! I found my way here via Sheila at Note Songs and am oh so glad I did!I just clicked to make myself a follower too! I will be back often!Love,Sue

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Hi! My husband gave me the name Blondie a long time ago & it has stuck! I am a Midwestern girl but I now live in a quiet & beautiful neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. I adore my husband and four children, two boys, two girls.
I enjoy gardening, reading, cooking, antiquing, decorating and needlework crafts. I love decorating in a cottage sort of style but it's fun to mix it up a little!.
I currently work writing columns for two newspapers. I love creating essays about life in the city and country. And I've enjoyed blogging about the same for 9 years!
We have a year round home in the country on a huge lake in Southwest Michigan where I am always busy renovating, decorating, cooking, entertaining & relaxing! We also have a little place in the mountains of North Carolina. Life is good! I hope you will follow along on my adventures!

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